Shaped MEMS contact
A MEMS switch fabrication process and apparatus inclusive of a bulbous rounded surface movable contact assembly that is integral with the switch movable element and achieving of long contact wear life with low contact electrical resistance. The disclosed process is compatible with semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication materials and procedures and includes an unusual photoresist reflow step in which the bulbous contact shape is quickly defined in three dimensions from more easily achieved integrated circuit mask and etching-defined precursor shapes. A plurality of differing photoresist materials are used in the process. A large part of the contact and contact spring formation used in the invention is accomplished with low temperature processing including electroplating. Alternate processing steps achieving an alloy metal contact structure are included. Use of a subroutine of processing steps to achieve differing but related portions of the electrical contact structure is also included.
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The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for all governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT DOCUMENTSThe present document is somewhat related to the and commonly assigned patent document “RADIO FREQUENCY MEMS SWITCH CONTACT METAL SELECTION”, AFD 707, Ser. No. 11/047,344; now U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,750. The contents of this somewhat related application are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONRadio frequency switches are used in many aspects of present day communication systems and radar systems including for example in cellular telephones and phased array radar antennas. Today, such radio frequency switching is often accomplished with the use of solid-state devices such as Field Effect Transistors and PIN diodes or with macro sized metal-to-metal contact switches or relays. Such solid state devices are often small and easily integrated with other radio frequency components but provide relative poor electrical performance. In contrast the larger in size Macro switches offer relatively good electrical performance including isolation measuring greater than 70 decibels, insertion losses near 0.07 decibels and contact resistances of less than one ohm however such switches are bulky and not easily integrated with many radio frequency components.
One solution to these difficulties is provided by the micro-sized or microelectromechanical or MEMS metal contact switch. Such MEMS switches may be fabricated using the same fabrication processes as is used in realizing solid-state devices. The size of these switches makes them easily integrated with radio frequency components and additionally, because they are mechanical devices, such switches provide relatively good radio frequency performance including isolation greater than 20 decibels and insertion losses near 0.1-0.5 decibels. Although the MEMS switches of the present invention are viewed as being primarily useful at radio frequencies the described structure and method are not limited to such usage and may indeed find application in any frequency range between direct current and signals in the gigahertz range.
Radio frequency MEMS metal contact switches have been fabricated and tested by industry, government laboratories, and academia. The upper electric contact area for previous switches has been “plug-shaped” with a flat bottom. Flat upper electric contacts are, however, not easily cleaned, have inconsistent wear patterns, and do not allow for switch operation at different areas on the contact surface.
This invention provides a way of implementing a “hemispherical-shaped” upper electric contact geometry into micro-switch fabrication and includes defining the upper contacts in a sacrificial layer using standard photolithography. The resulting electric contact geometry is then re-flowed in an oven to reform, by surface tension, the “plug-shaped” contact into a “hemispherical-shaped” contact. This allows for reliable contact cleaning (i.e. mechanical wiping) and consistent metal-to-metal contact with each switch actuation and also allows the switch to be operated at different areas on the contact surface by varying the switch actuation voltage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a low cost easily fabricated metallic electrical contact assembly especially suited for use in a radio frequency microelectromechanical switch.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integral microelectromechanical switch element inclusive of both spring and electrical contact portions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a procedure useful in the fabrication of a microelectromechanical switch element having integral spring and electrical contact portions.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrical contact shape for a radio frequency MEMS switch that is compatible with fabrication of the switching mechanism of the switch.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved shape for the upper contact in a radio frequency MEMS switch.
It is another object of the invention to provide integrated circuit process-compatible fabrication of microelectromechanical switch elements.
It is another object of the invention to provide a photoresist-based process for fabrication of microelectromechanical switch elements.
It is another object of the invention to provide a process for fabrication of microelectromechanical switch elements that is based on use of a photoresist material that is heat responsive and solvent responsive.
It is another object of the invention to provide a photoresist reflow-based process for fabrication of microelectromechanical switch element.
It is another object of the invention to provide a deposited metal-based process for fabrication of microelectromechanical switch elements.
It is another object of the invention to provide a microelectromechanical switch arrangement having desirable immunity to mechanical stiction and other switch mechanism difficulties.
It is another object of the invention to provide a microelectromechanical switch arrangement providing desirably low electrical contact resistance.
It is another object of the invention to provide a microelectromechanical switch arrangement providing desirable contact resistance to mechanical wear.
It is another object of the invention to provide a MEMS switch upper contact that is more easily cleaned by normal contact use wiping action.
It is another object of the invention to enable use of a flat bottom upper contact in a MEMS switch.
It is another object of the invention to provide a MEMS switch upper contact that achieves a consistent wear pattern.
It is another object of the invention to provide a microelectromechanical switch arrangement inclusive of metal alloy materials in the spring and contact portions thereof.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description of the representative embodiments proceeds.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the method of making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch, said method comprising the steps of:
fabricating a metallic anchor member, a metallic contact actuation electrode and a metallic lower contact support element for said radio frequency MEMS radio frequency contact switch on a surface of an insulating substrate member;
covering said metallic anchor member, said contact actuation electrode and said metallic lower contact support element with a layer of sacrificial photoresist material;
forming selectively configured anchor member and rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbations in said layer of sacrificial photoresist material;
reflowing said layer of sacrificial photoresist material selectively configured anchor member and rectangularly configured movable contact member precursor perturbations into sloping sidewall and curving corner cross section shapes respectively by applying thereto an elevated temperature sequence having selected time and temperature magnitudes;
covering said layer of sacrificial photoresist material including said curving corner cross section precursor perturbations with a layer of intimately contacting movable contact-supporting metal of selected lateral extent;
said selected lateral extent layer of movable contact-support metal including both a contact metal anchoring portion received on said selectively configured anchor member and a bulbous movable contact portion each formed within said upper contact member precursor perturbations of said sacrificial photoresist material during said covering step;
releasing said layer of intimately contacting movable contact-support metal and said bulbous movable contact portion from said intimately contacting state with said layer of sacrificial photoresist material, said releasing enabling electrical movement control of said contact-support metal with said bulbous upper contact portion by influence of said contact actuation electrode.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
The
In the
In the
The metal 122 achieved by way of the
The drawing of
Mask patterning, exposure to deep ultraviolet light and development of the PMGI photoresist 400 in the region overlying the anchor pad 200 is represented in the
The bulbous or rounded dimple shape at 600 and the sloping walls 720 in
Completion of the present process involves several additional steps including dissolving of the 9260 photoresist at each end of and adjacent the sides of the movable switch element 1006; this may be accomplished with use of acetone. Completion also involves etching away the
By way of slight modification of the thusly-described process it is possible to achieve a MEMS metal contact switch structure with metal alloy electrical contacts providing advantages in fabrication and performance as are somewhat described in the above identified companion patent document. Notably such an MEMS switch with alloy contacts is believed to be new to the MEMS switch art and provides longer switch lifetimes and better switch wear characteristics. This alloy related slight modification of the thusly-described sequence departs from the
According to this modification of the described process a layer 1200 of alloy metal is deposited and patterned over the thermally reflowed photoresist 400 then the Gold and Titanium layers 806, 807 and 808 are deposited as described above in connection with
As suggested in the
Following formation of the contact area alloy 1400 the photoresist deposition and configuring to form a
The MEMS switch described thus far in this document is of the single pole single throw normally open switch type. The present invention is not viewed as being limited to switches of this classification however and is believed to be extendable to double and triple throw arrangements also having the normally open characteristic. Extension of the described switch and process to a normally closed switch configuration is however viewed as entailing difficulties.
The thusly described switch formation sequence provides a switch having advantages over other procedures for MEMS switch formation; among these are:
the use of conventional integrated circuit materials and procedures, materials and procedures compatible with fabricating other solid state device elements of an electrical circuit, during switch formation;
the achievement of a rounded bulbous movable contact having desirably long operating life and low contact resistance;
the use of relatively low temperature processing steps such as photoresist baking and electroplating to accomplish switch formation;
the achievement of MEMS switches with an alloy electrical contact;
the achievement of MEMS switches with integral mechanical element and electrical contact portions.
the achievement of MEMS switches with desirable immunity to mechanical stiction and other switch mechanism difficulties.
While the apparatus and method herein described constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus or method and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch, said method comprising the steps of:
- fabricating a metallic anchor member, a metallic contact actuation electrode and a metallic lower contact support element for said radio frequency MEMS contact switch on a surface of an insulating substrate member;
- a first covering step comprising covering said metallic anchor member, said metallic contact actuation electrode and said metallic lower contact support element with a layer of sacrificial photoresist material;
- forming a selectively configured anchor member perturbation and a rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbation in said layer of sacrificial photoresist material;
- reflowing said layer of sacrificial photoresist material selectively configured anchor member perturbation and said rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbation into sloping sidewall and curving cross-section shapes by applying thereto an elevated temperature sequence having selected time and temperature magnitudes;
- a second covering step comprising covering said layer of sacrificial photoresist material including said sloping sidewall and curving cross-section shapes with a layer of intimately contacting movable contact-supporting metal of selected lateral extent;
- said selected lateral extent layer of movable contact-support metal including both a contact metal anchoring portion received on said selectively configured anchor member perturbation and a bulbous movable contact portion formed within an upper contact member precursor perturbation of said sacrificial photoresist material during said second covering step; and
- releasing said layer of intimately contacting movable contact-support metal and said bulbous movable contact portion from said layer of sacrificial photoresist material, said releasing enabling electrical movement control of said contact-support metal with said bulbous upper contact portion by influence of said contact actuation electrode.
2. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said step of fabricating a metallic anchor member, a metallic contact actuation electrode and a metallic lower contact support element for said MEMS radio frequency electrical switch includes use of a subroutine fabrication sequence having the steps of:
- successively covering an electrically insulating substrate member with first and second photoresist material layers;
- etching a mask selected first aperture in said second photoresist material layer;
- etching through said first aperture a second aperture in said first photoresist material layer to expose a selected portion of said substrate member;
- covering an exposed surface of said second photoresist material layer and said exposed portion of said substrate member with a metal film; and
- removing said first and second photoresist material layers and said metal film covered surface of said second photoresist material layer from said substrate member with a photoresist dissolving sequence.
3. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 2 wherein further includes an evaporated deposition of first and second metallic film layers onto said exposed portion of said substrate member.
4. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 3 wherein said second metallic film layer is comprised of Gold and said first metallic film layer is comprised of a Gold substrate adhesion metal film.
5. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 4 wherein said Gold substrate adhesion metal film is comprised of Chromium metal.
6. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said substrate is comprised of sapphire material.
7. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said method further includes a step of adding a layer of electrical contact metal over said metallic lower contact support element intermediate said fabricating and said covering steps.
8. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said first covering step sacrificial photoresist material layer is comprised of a PMGI photoresist material of two to three micrometers thickness.
9. The method for making electrical contract elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said selectively configured anchor member precursor perturbation extends totally through said sacrificial photoresist material to said metallic anchor member.
10. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbation extends only partially through said layer of sacrificial photoresist material and has a depth of between 0.7 and 1.2 micrometers.
11. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS CONTACT switch of claim 1 wherein said reflowing step elevated temperature time and temperature magnitudes include 250 degrees Celsius for a time between three and four minutes.
12. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 2 wherein said second covering step includes an electroplating deposition of metal inclusive of a thin film metallic covering over said sacrificial photoresist material.
13. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 12 wherein said second covering step electroplating deposition includes metallic Gold material.
14. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS switch of claim 1 wherein said releasing step includes use of a photoresist stripping agent operating at a temperature above room temperature.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 31, 2005
Date of Patent: Oct 13, 2009
Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force (Washington, DC)
Inventors: Ronald A. Coutu, Jr. (Beavercreek, OH), Paul E. Kladitis (New Carlisle, OH), Robert L. Crane (Kettering, OH)
Primary Examiner: Jack Chen
Attorney: AFMCLO/JAZ
Application Number: 11/047,345
International Classification: H01L 21/00 (20060101);